Sapiens: Yuval Harari - 2014

By Roy Sebag

Books August 26, 2016

Published in 2014, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind was written by Professor Yuval Noah Harari. The book covers all aspects of human history, from the very first humans that walked the Earth leading to assumptions of our future.

Harari begins by describing the 6 human species which inhabited the Earth over 100,000 years ago. How they interacted, competed with and eventually became extinct, leaving the single species of Homo sapiens which exist today. Sapiens then flows through a history of the world from the Scientific, Cultural and Agricultural revolutions, all of which left their impact on the way societies exist today.

The question of how our ancestors came to create kingdoms, believe in gods, rights, books, and laws is posed.

The now evolved humans are still enslaved in many ways, often not happier than before history unfolded. The question remains whether we have control over the behaviours set by our ancestors, control over our thoughts and power, and can have an impact over the course of centuries.

Harari presents a very unique and provoking thoughts about humans and our future. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind should be read for everyone, as it could change the way you think about the world.